The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1887-11-24

What do you say Will you g,
away mighty quick, or else shal
send you to -
And the captain took the man b,
the neck and was 10 q way to stran
IS gle him, when tall old man will
white hair emerged from house neal
:. by
Let him go, captain, he is moi
worth the strangulstiop. Ny nam,
is Pierre and l am vine dresser.
said the old man addressing the oil
Ger, Theu; turning to tho coward,
he added; Go to your home, mon
sieur the major; il you are unwilling
to do your duty, at least do not pre-
vent others to accomplish it. You
see, captain, that mayor is mou-
sieur from the city, sent to us by tho
imperial government; oil his fortune
is in this village, in which he owns
several buildings, and if the Germans
set them on fire he shall be ruined
! am myself in the same case; if my
cabin is destroyed j do not know
what will remain for my grauddaugh-
ter Jacqueliue But what do you
want, sir 7 France. our country. he
fore anything
The captain was touched, aud re-
moving his cap he said to the pat
riot.
You are brave man aud God
bless you
Aud an old soldier replied the
vine dresser, STRENGTHENING himself
There is my Cross of the Legion OF
Honor given to me by the emperor
himself, the great Napoleon Now,
captain, if you have a gun to lend |
me | will show that know how e.
handle it,
At this moment lively muskeiry
was heard from the other side of the
barricade. The Germans were COM
ing
The village WAS deserted by its in
habitants, women, children cripples
and old people had departed, taking
with them everything they could car
ry.
The able-boded men were iu the
army.
The battle begun; the, bullets
whisiled in the air aud ilattened
themselves against the walls. The ,
French held tue place well aud Papa ,
rierre, tue vine dresser, barehended,
DIS bair to the wind, fired bis eun !
pIrave'y, while his granddaughter .
'T'~' tue fire piece after each dis,
charge =
suddenly a bo'~ hell bo,,. =, v
ten ynfus from the barlICo.
.Sacre n dc ID ! exclaimed I. )
captain, they lombard us now 10
ten miuu utes we will have to go if :
He laid not time to end his
phrase when second projectile pas
sing through the roof Of the shelter I;
covered him and his soldiers with
dust; happily no one was wounded, G
alone Jacqueline had uttered II cry.
Tue emotion was too much for tie
poor girl-she tainted.
You must retire, captain, said
Papa Pierre to the officer; but l will
remain here. have some cartrid.
ges left; shall fire them off Go
Never 7 exclaimed the captain
We shall die here
Il tell you to retire, you are res
sponsible before God and before the
country for the life Of ysur mon. To |,
remain here is simply madness aud
not bravery. How can You defend
this village with guns against cam
mons, with twelve men against five
hundred =
1T is better to die on FreLch soil
iu fighting than in German prison
But you will not be taken; leave
Immediately that barricade that you
cannot hold any longer; turn on the
right when you reach the end OF the
village and take refuge in the for
est
And you|
III am too old to walk
'We shall carry you
No, thanks, in this village l was
born; iu this village want to die:
besides that. confde my Jacque-
line to you, captain. Hpvo you any
children.
-Four.
Then | am Tranquil On her fate
| Ad Gu, captain !! Adieu soldiers my
Young comrades, aud Itoe Ia
France !